"In 2006, I hiked the Appalachian Trail. I was carrying a 4 1/2 pound tent that took up most of the volume of my backpack," Gross said.
"On the trail, I met somebody who had this wild tent that packed down really small, opened up really big, didn't weigh anything. I thought, 'I know how to sew, I've been to design school, I'm going to make a tent.'""We started with one design, one tent and we have grown enormously," Gross said."We make rain gear, tents, women's clothing for backpacking, skirts that have lots of pockets, dresses with pockets.
LightHeart Gear was a founding member of Outdoor Gear Builders, which now has more than 90 members. Gross credits that membership and the ScaleUp program through Mountain BizWorks with the business' success.